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New York Yankees Editorial: Trade ’em Or Keep ’em: Michael Pineda and Rob Refsnyder

By Antonio Mendes

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The New York Yankees are notably stuck with a lot of their players due to huge contracts moving forward, but how will they get better heading into 2016? A trade is going to have to take place in order for that to happen so we have to look at every possible option. For this, the two I’m looking at are Michael Pineda and Rob Refsnyder. Pineda has been inconsistent (with injuries) for the Yankees, but if he can just stay healthy it looks as the Yanks have a dominant pitcher behind Masahiro Tanaka. On the other hand you have a young guy who hasn’t nearly gotten enough of playing time to prove himself and to some, the only reason he was put out there in September was to audition for another team. So here’s the main question, do the Yankees keep them or trade them?

Michael Pineda

Micheal Pineda is an odd person to trade in general. The best possible outcome of trading him would give the Yankees some key additions, but it’d take a step backwards away from what they haven’t had in years, a stacked rotation. The Yankees are most likely going to sign a pitcher this off-season as it is, and from what the New York Mets have shown –  you can never have too much pitching. Realistically with all the positions plugged up it wouldn’t be worth it to trade Pineda. You have to think, unless they make other trades to open up positions, whoever they receive in a Pineda trade won’t even be needed. In my opinion, they definitely will want to keep Pineda, but he will need work heading into next year. Besides being healthy, maintaining a certain level of stamina and developing his slider into a ‘put-away’ pitch will be his key to a great season in 2016, one that the Yankees know he can have.

Rob Refsnyder

It seemed as though the Yankees’ second base circus came to an end in September as Refsnyder and Dustin Ackley held the position down when Stephen Drew was injured. This is the biggest ‘question mark’ for the Yankees heading into next season, even if it’s beginning to be more clear. Ackley switched from the every-day second baseman to the outfield when the Seattle Mariners signed Robinson Cano, but when the Yankees acquired him at the 2015 trade deadline, he was transitioned back to second base for a majority of his starts. Refsnyder shared the playing time at second with him, and after Refsnyder displayed the ability to consistently hit at the major league level, the Yankees put more and more trust in him and he eventually went on to earn the start at second in the wild card game.

On the other side, many, including myself thought the Yankees decided to play Ref to audition his value to teams that might be in need of a second baseman this winter. From what Refsnyder has shown, sorry but it’s nothing to make a big deal about, I say trade him. Refsnyder is still at the point where he can get a very effective piece in return for the Yankees. A package of him and Brett Gardner would be ‘money’ for the Yankees and could be a huge factor moving into next season on the field and in their pockets. Refsnyder just hasn’t shown the Yankees enough, and you could say they didn’t give him time, but that’s how the business goes.

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